Corpus Bilingüe Tomo I Vol. 1 - Archivo Abierto Institucional de la ...

LUIS GRAU
II. It is the right as well as the duty, of all men in society, publickly, and at
stated seasons, to worship the SUPREME BEING, the great Creator and Preserver
of the universe. And no subject shall be hurt, molested, or restrained, in his
person, liberty, or estate, for worshipping GOD in the manner and season most
agreeable to the dictates of his own conscience; or for his religious profession or
sentiments; provided he doth not disturb the public peace, or obstruct others in
their religious worship.
III. As the happiness of a people, and the good order and preservation of civil
government, essentially depend upon piety, religion, and morality; and as these
cannot be generally diffused through a community, but by the institution of the
public worship of GOD, and of public instructions in piety, religion, and morality:
Therefore, to promote their happiness, and to secure the good order and preservation
of their government, the people of this Commonwealth have a right to
invest their Legislature with power to authorize and require, and the Legislature
shall, from time to time, authorize and require, the several towns, parishes, precincts,
and other bodies politic, or religious societies, to make suitable provision,
at their own expense, for the institution of the public worship of GOD, and for
the support and maintenance of public Protestant teachers of piety, religion, and
morality, in all cases where such provision shall not be made voluntarily.
And the people of this Commonwealth have also a right to, and do, invest their
Legislature with authority to enjoin upon all the subjects, an attendance upon the
instructions of the public teachers aforesaid, at stated times and seasons, if there
be any on whose instructions they can conscientiously and conveniently attend.
Provided notwithstanding, That the several towns, parishes, precincts, and
other bodies politic, or religious societies, shall, at all times, have the exclusive
right of electing their public teachers, and of contracting with them for their support
and maintenance.
And all monies paid by the subject to the support of public worship, and of the
public teachers aforesaid, shall, if he require it, be uniformly applied to the support
of the public teacher, or teachers, of his own religious sect or denomination,
provided there be any on whose instructions he attends; otherwise it may be paid
towards the support of the teacher, or teachers, of the parish or precinct in which
the said monies are raised.
And every denomination of Christians, demeaning themselves peaceably, and
as good subjects of the Commonwealth, shall be equally under the protection of
the law: and no subordination of any one sect or denomination to another shall
ever be established by law.
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